Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Nov 2014
352 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
JW is a small-town banker. His specialty: teaching other bankers in towns near Indian reservations how to profit from casino deposits without exposing themselves to risk. His problem: having lost his son in a car accident a year ago, JW is depressed, his wife is leaving him, and he can't stop gambling.
When he is caught embezzling funds to support his addiction, JW's boss offers him a choice. He can either accept responsibility and go to prison, or use his talents to sabotage a competing Native American banker named Johnny Eagle. With the clock ticking, JW moves into a trailer on the reservation within sight of his prey. But as he befriends Eagle and his son, JW finds that his plan to reclaim his freedom will be more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.
"Starred Review. J.W.'s situation resolves in a rousing and satisfying climax. Otto's wonderfully vivid debut narrative is reminiscent of well-known crime novelist William Kent Krueger." - Publishers Weekly
"Ethnic animosities make for an awkward fit with standard-issue midlife floundering." - Kirkus
"The writer and coproducer of the Oscar-nominated film House of Sand and Fog delivers an excellent debut literary thriller. Fans of Larry Watson and Louise Erdrich will enjoy the intricate plot, well-developed characters, and social commentary about Native American culture. Moreover, readers who are interested in mysteries with a Minnesota setting will want to try this edgy page-turner." - Library Journal
'...Shawn Lawrence Otto has pushed his perfectly crafted characters to their limits. The result is a literary tour de force and a psychological thriller that hooked me from the first page and carried me through to its stunning conclusion.' - Joel Surnow, creator of 24
'Excellent writing and dynamic characters make this novel a page turner that stands above the rest.' - Robert Alexander, author of The Kitchen Boy
This information about Sins of Our Fathers was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Shawn Lawrence Otto is the writer and co-producer of the Oscar-nominated film House of Sand and Fog. He also writes for top studios like DreamWorks and Lions Gate. His nonfiction has appeared in Rolling Stone, Science, and Salon, among other publications. He lives in Minneapolis, MN.
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